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Supreme Court Asks Why Jio Shouldn’t Be Paying AGR Dues for Using Spectrum of RCom
Sun Direct Expands Independence Day Packages to Other States
Fastway, KCCL and NXTDigital Updates NCF Charges
Fortnite Removed from App Store and Play Store, Epic Files a Lawsuit Against Google and Apple
Airtel Offers 1000GB Additional Data with New Xstream Fiber as Independence Day Offer
Reliance Jio Presents 5 Months Complimentary On-Net Calls and Data with JioFi device
5G Trials Will Happen in India, But Without ZTE and Huawei
Smartphone Usage Up by 120% in India During the Pandemic
Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh Plan Will Cost Rs 25,000 Yearly and Offer 500GB Data Monthly

Supreme Court Asks Why Jio Shouldn’t Be Paying AGR Dues for Using Spectrum of RCom

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 07:09 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/jio-agr-dues-payment-rcom-spectrum/290371/, Supreme Court Asks Why Jio Shouldn't Be Paying AGR Dues for Using Spectrum of RCom

AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue) dues have become a major pain for the telecom industry of India. It has affected not only the operators that are actively providing telecom services, but also the operators which have gone insolvent. Back on October 24, 2019, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and held its definition of AGR dues above what telcos were demanding. Telecom companies in India did not feel liable to pay AGR on the revenue they earned from non-telecom services. But SC sided with DoT. The apex court did recognise that revenue from the sale of assets and insurance claims won't be considered when calculating AGR dues. Also, SC is not going to entertain the demand of telcos for recalculating the dues but will only consider a decision for the length of the period it has to be paid in. The apex court recognised that the insolvent telcos of India have over Rs 40,000 crore in AGR dues. Read below all the updates that took place today regarding the matter.

SC Wants to Know Who is Using Spectrum of Insolvent Companies

Justice Arun Mishra led SC bench started with hearing the RCom's case which owes around Rs 25,000 crore in AGR dues. There was Harsh Salve representing SBI. SBI made its position clear by saying that it recognises the spectrum as an asset of the telco. SBI also said that the Committee of Creditors (COC) gets full autonomy on deciding which party gets how much and said that the operational creditors such as DoT can't be paid at par with financial creditors.

SC then asked RCom if Jio had been using its spectrum and if the answer is yes, then from how long? Against SC's question relating to Jio, Shyam Divan, Resolution Profession of RCom said that the company has an asset sharing contractual agreement with Jio which DoT has already been notified about and the spectrum fee has also been paid. Divan also revealed the date of the agreement with Jio which was in 2016 for 800 MHz spectrum. Divan also noted that Ericsson has come to terms with setting for Rs 550 crore against its liability of Rs 1,500 crore under Section 9 for insolvency.

To this SC observed that why should Jio be left out from paying the AGR dues for the RCom spectrum it has been using. Justice Mishra said that the party which has been using the spectrum should be liable to pay the AGR dues.

Jio replied that it has only followed the guidelines for spectrum sharing. The guidelines say that when the spectrum is shared, the other party only needs to pay the spectrum usage charges which Jio has already paid and all the AGR dues have been sought with DoT. SC then asked for all the spectrum sharing agreements which include insolvent companies so that it can be known that who is using the spectrum of insolvent companies.

The apex court then adjourned the hearing guiding Jio, RCom Resolution Professional, and the government to produce all the necessary documents which clearly state who is liable to pay the AGR dues. The next hearing will take place at 3 PM on Monday.

Original article: Supreme Court Asks Why Jio Shouldn't Be Paying AGR Dues for Using Spectrum of RCom

Sun Direct Expands Independence Day Packages to Other States

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 05:46 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/sun-direct-indepedence-day-packages/290342/, Sun Direct Expands Independence Day Packages to Other States

Yesterday we reported about the new discount offer that Sun Direct is providing with the Tamil DPO 1 channel pack. Now, the DTH operator has extended the benefit to other channel packs as well. Sun Direct had a customer base of close to 70 million last year. The DTH operator has clearly grown at a rapid pace in the country and has become one of the top DTH companies. The two-channel packs which are going to receive the offer are Telugu DPO 1 and Malayalam DPO 1. Both of these channels are going to be availed at a discounted rate for the customers. Let's take a look at both the offers.

Sun Direct Telugu DPO 1 and Malayalam DPO 1 Discounted

With the Telugu DPO 1 channel pack, the customers can enjoy some of the best Telugu regional shows, kids, sports, and other entertainment channels. Normally, this channel pack comes for a price of Rs 190.68 per month. But under the Independence Day, this channel pack has been discounted and is being offered for a mere Rs 142 per month. Apart from this, the customer can also purchase this plan for 7 months by paying Rs 993 for it.

Coming to the Malayalam DPO 1 pack, customers purchasing the channel pack will be able to enjoy some of the best Malayalam regional shows, sports, kids, and other entertainment channels. It comes for a price of Rs 185.59 normally. But after the Independence Day discount offer, the channel pack will be available to customers for a price of Rs 142. The customers can also get a 7 month recharge by paying Rs 991 for it.

The Tamil DPO 1 pack has got a discount as well. The normal rate of the channel pack is Rs 168.64. But under the discount offer, it is available for a mere price of Rs 111. Customers can also opt for a 9-month subscription at once by paying Rs 999. The Tamil DPO 1 pack from Sun Direct comes with Tamil regional channels, kids, sports, and other entertainment channels.

Original article: Sun Direct Expands Independence Day Packages to Other States

Fastway, KCCL and NXTDigital Updates NCF Charges

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 03:55 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/fastwat-kccl-nxt-digital-ncf-charges/290339/, Fastway, KCCL and NXTDigital Updates NCF Charges

Multiple Indian cable operators including Fastway Transmissions, Kerala Vision Digital TV and NXT Digital have now updated their Network Capacity Fee (NCF) with reduced prices for Multi TV Connections. The revised NCF that was introduced by the three cable operators reflects the amendments introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to the National Tariff Order dubbed as NTO 2.0. The users under NTO 2.0 can save more on their cable and DTH connections as the regulator capped the NCF charges on primary and secondary connections. It has to be noted that Hathway Cable and Datacom, GTPL Hathway and Den Networks had updated the NCF charges earlier in the recent weeks.

NXT Digital Revises NCF Charges

According to the revised NCF charges unveiled by Hinduja Group's NXT Digital, the users would be charged Rs 130 for the first 200 channels and Rs 160 beyond the 200 channels. NXT Digital highlighted that the channels notified by the government will not account for NCF and will be available to users in addition to the ones selected by the user.

Crucially, NXT Digital highlighted that the NCF for Multi TV connection will be charged at 40% of the NCF of the parent Set Top Box (STB).

"The STB with maximum number of channels would be treated as Parent STB," NXT Digital said in its updated NCF charges.

The company also highlighted that a high-definition (HD) channel would be equal to two standard-definition (SD) channels, in accordance with the regulations.

Fastway and KCCL Also Revise NCF Charges Across India

Similar to NXT Digital, multiple cable operators including Fastway Transmissions and Kerala Vision Digital TV backed by Kerala Communicators Cable Limited (KCCL) have also revised NCF charges.

In early 2020, Siti Cable and Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication (TCCL) had unveiled the revised NCF charges in line with the amendments introduced by Trai. Further, Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV charges a flat fee of Rs 120 as NCF charges while the operator has also revised the Multi TV charges to be 40% of the primary STB.

Original article: Fastway, KCCL and NXTDigital Updates NCF Charges

Fortnite Removed from App Store and Play Store, Epic Files a Lawsuit Against Google and Apple

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 02:29 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/fortnite-android-ios-store-removal/290288/, Fortnite Removed from App Store and Play Store, Epic Files a Lawsuit Against Google and Apple

fortnite-experience-oneplus8-series

Fortnite, the battle royale game from Epic Games, has been removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on Thursday. The development is on the heels of the developer implementing its own in-app payment system on Fortnite that bypasses Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The Fortnite team on Thursday introduced the Epic direct payment system on iOS and Android packed with multiple security measures. The developers of the battle royale game highlighted that PayPal and Chase are among the payment partners for its e-commerce system.

Fortnite Removed from App Store

In a statement to The Verge, Apple said that "Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple.” The company said that Epic Games "did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services." Apple said that the Fortnite app was thus removed from the App Store but that company would "work with Epic to resolve these violations."

Following the development, Epic Games provided a series of responses that included a video where it asked its fans to "join the fight" against Apple. The developer behind the popular battle royale game also took a legal action to "end Apple's anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces."

In a blog post, Epic Games said that Apple had asked the developer to "remove the 'Epic direct payment' feature" while blocking Fortnite from the App Store.

"Apple is keeping prices high so they can collect 30% of your payments, and is blocking Fortnite in order to prevent Epic from passing on the savings from direct payments to you," Epic Games said in a blog post.

Crucially, Epic Games said that the Fortnite users will not be able to play the new season dubbed as "Fortnite Chapter 2 – Season 4" on iOS as Apple has blocked the "ability to update." The developer said that the existing players who have already downloaded the Fortnite app "should have no issues continuing to play Chapter 2 – Season 3's 13.40 update." However, Epic Games said that players accessing Fortnite after Season 4 release will not be able to access the new content or new Battle Pass but can only play the 13.40 version.

Google Removes Fortnite App for Play Store

Similarly, Google in its statement to The Verge highlighted that the company has "consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users." Google said that the Fortnite remains available on Android but that the company can "no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies."

Unlike iOS, it has to be noted that the users can continue to install Fortnite on Android through the Epic Games App and through the Samsung Galaxy Store. The developer on its part filed a lawsuit against Google.

Crucially, Epic Games’ lawsuit against Google also highlights that the developer was "forced" to "renege on the deal" with OnePlus. It has to be noted that Epic struck a deal with OnePlus that enabled users of OnePlus devices to install apps belonging to the Epic stable directly bypassing Google Play Store. The agreement between OnePlus and Epic also led to the developer unveiling a special version of Fortnite for select OnePlus devices to run the game at the "stage-of-art framerate."

"Google demanded that OnePlus not implement its agreement with Epic with the limited exception of mobile devices sold in India," Epic said in its lawsuit against Google. "OnePlus informed Epic that Google was 'particularly concerned that the Epic Games app would have ability to potentially install and update multiple games with a silent install bypassing the Google Play Store.'"

It was also highlighted that another OEM, LG was said to have told Epic that it had a contract with Google "to block side downloading off Google Play Store this year." Further, it was said that LG told Epic that it could "surely" make its games available to its users "if the Google Play Store were used."

Original article: Fortnite Removed from App Store and Play Store, Epic Files a Lawsuit Against Google and Apple

Airtel Offers 1000GB Additional Data with New Xstream Fiber as Independence Day Offer

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 01:02 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/airtel-offers-1000gb-additional-data-independence-day/290309/, Airtel Offers 1000GB Additional Data with New Xstream Fiber as Independence Day Offer

airtel-independence-day-offer-1000gb-additional-data

As part of Independence Day celebrations, Airtel has rolled out an exciting limited period offer for customers opting for its Airtel Xstream Fiber Home Broadband. Airtel is giving 1000 GB free additional data with the purchase of a new Airtel Xstream Fiber connection. The limited period offer is applicable on all Airtel Xstream Fiber plans and is available to customers across all top cities* where Airtel provides Xstream Fiber broadband services.

Airtel Xtream Fibre offers ultra-fast broadband with speeds up to 1Gbps and serves the requirements of multiple connected devices in today's homes.

Airtel Offers 1000GB Additional Data

The limited period offer of 1000 GB FREE additional data adds even more value to Airtel Xstream Fiber plans that start at just Rs 799/month and come with exciting Airtel Thanks benefits such as 12 months Amazon Prime membership and Airtel Xstream content plus Wynk Music.

India is witnessing a massive surge in demand for quality home broadband as people work from home, children take online classes and OTT based digital entertainment grows.

*Offer not applicable on unlimited data and prepaid broadband plans. 1000 GB additional valid for 6 months.

Original article: Airtel Offers 1000GB Additional Data with New Xstream Fiber as Independence Day Offer

Reliance Jio Presents 5 Months Complimentary On-Net Calls and Data with JioFi device

Posted: 14 Aug 2020 12:19 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/reliance-jiofi-complimentary-device-offer/290255/, Reliance Jio Presents 5 Months Complimentary On-Net Calls and Data with JioFi device

Reliance Jio comes up with new offers around Independence Day every year. The telco has become India's number one company in a very short span of four years. One of its most successful products, when it started its services, was JioFi. When it came to the market initially, there was a huge demand for the product. It allowed people to connect with the fast 4G network and get high-speed internet anywhere they go even if they didn't have a 4G smartphone. Now Reliance has introduced an offer with the purchase of JioFi this Independence day. Read to ahead to find out what it is.

Reliance Jio Independence Day Offer

The independence day offer of the JioFi is unlimited on-net calls and data for five months. But to get this offer, the customer will have to purchase one of the existing offers from the JioFi plans. So for now, there are three options that a customer can choose from while activating the SIM for JioFi.

The first offer is Rs 199 which will give you 1.5GB daily data for 28 days. Along with that, you can pay Rs 99 extra for the Jio Prime membership and it will give you 1.5GB data every day with unlimited Jio to Jio mobile calls and 1000 off-net mobile minutes for 28 days and 100 SMS/day for 140 days.

The second offer is of Rs 249 which will give you 2GB daily data for 28 days and with that, you can also pay Rs 99 extra for the Jio Prime membership. The Jio Prime membership will also bring 2GB daily data with unlimited calls and 1000 off-net calling minutes for 28 days and 100 SMS/day for 112 days.

The third offer comes for Rs 349 and provides 3GB daily data for 28 days and if a customer wants, they can also pay an additional Rs 99 for the Jio Prime membership. The prime membership comes will bring another 3GB daily data with unlimited calling and 1000 off-net calling minutes for 28 days and 100 SMS/day for 84 days.

If you want to buy JioFi, it will cost you Rs 1,999 at the moment. In case you want it in EMI, then you can get it for a monthly EMI of Rs 94. The device acts as a portable Wi-Fi and allows multiple devices to be connected with it.

Original article: Reliance Jio Presents 5 Months Complimentary On-Net Calls and Data with JioFi device

5G Trials Will Happen in India, But Without ZTE and Huawei

Posted: 13 Aug 2020 10:46 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/5g-trials-india-without-zte-huawei/290240/, 5G Trials Will Happen in India, But Without ZTE and Huawei

India and China are not in good terms at the moment. Things between both countries are heated up because of the border tensions. ZTE and Huawei are two Chinese companies which have been helping telcos in providing telecom services in India for a long time now. But both of these companies will be left out of 5G trials which will take place in India. This decision was taken by the Indian government which cited the reason as national security. It is not like 5G trials for India are happening anytime soon, but the decision has been made to leave out the Chinese firms ZTE and Huawei.

Reliance Jio Can Fill Up the Void of ZTE and Huawei

Back in July, during the 43rd AGM of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Mukesh Ambani announced that Jio has come up with its homegrown 5G solutions. This eliminates the need for any other foreign company for Jio to test 5G. Along with that, the Indian tycoon also said that Jio will be helping other companies test 5G. This will further reduce the dependence of Indian companies on Chinese firms such as ZTE and Huawei. The only thing that Reliance Jio is waiting for is the government to allot the 5G spectrum.

As per an ET Telecom report, the decision by India to not allow ZTE and Huawei for 5G trials in India will be announced officially by the Prime Minister's Office very soon. Countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia have raised concerns about data security against both ZTE and Huawei. This decision by the Indian government will certainly sit well with all of these countries.

But this decision is also going to raise a number of challenges for the Indian market. Most of the Indian telecom industry is still struggling to make 4G profitable when it is relying heavily on Chinese equipment. Now this decision can result in higher costs for the telcos to set up new 5G networks. At the same time, India's equipment market is not that big and the country is already battling regulatory and infrastructure problems, so a lot of challenges are going to come up with this decision.

Original article: 5G Trials Will Happen in India, But Without ZTE and Huawei

Smartphone Usage Up by 120% in India During the Pandemic

Posted: 13 Aug 2020 09:25 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/smartphone-usage-increase-india-pandemic/290043/, Smartphone Usage Up by 120% in India During the Pandemic

Smartphones have become more than just a gadget to play games, watch movies, or talk to someone. They have become a primary tool for many to conduct their businesses and earn a livelihood. Now according to a survey on Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) conducted by CyberMedia Research (CMR) with TECNO Mobile, there was a 120% surge in the usage of smartphones in India as when compared to the usage before the lockdown was implemented. The survey gives an understanding of the way a person is behaving with their smartphone on an average basis during the pandemic.

Smartphone Usage for Work Grew By More than 100% During Lockdown

The lockdown was implemented on March 25 and was extended until May 31. During that period, there was a 100% surge in usage of smartphone for work purposes alone. Online video content is being consumed at an all-time high rate in India. According to the stats, 83% of consumers used their smartphone for not only consuming online video content but also make short-form videos.

The same 83% of people use their smartphones for paying bills online and online banking as it makes them feel empowered. One of the most interesting stat that came up in the survey was that 3 out of every 7 Indians started a new hobby or activity with the help of their smartphones. Not only that, but 1 out of every 3 Indian parents relied on their smartphone for helping their kids learn online.

According to the stats, June onwards, the three features of a smartphone that people were relying on the most are – camera (61%), battery life (51%), and sound quality (51%). When thinking about their next smartphone, users have reflected that they want a longer battery life (54%) and with that a large screen size as well (53%).

People are also using their smartphones for watching OTT content, 70% of users use their smartphones for consuming OTT video, 60% for consuming OTT audio. Demand for online gaming has increased with the time as well and according to a stat, 62% of users are using their smartphone for online gaming.

Original article: Smartphone Usage Up by 120% in India During the Pandemic

Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh Plan Will Cost Rs 25,000 Yearly and Offer 500GB Data Monthly

Posted: 13 Aug 2020 06:37 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/airtel-fiber-mesh-plan-cost-rs25000-yearly/290084/, Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh Plan Will Cost Rs 25,000 Yearly and Offer 500GB Data Monthly

airtel-fiber-mesh-plan-cost-rs25000-yearly

Stable internet connectivity is of prime importance when we are looking for seamless work experience. Broadband fiber connection is a very good solution for that need. But even it has its limits. It can't provide the same level of connectivity and speed of the internet when you are away from the router which you get when you are close to it. But to solve that, you can purchase mesh nodes. They are radio transmitters which you can install inside your home or office and they will increase the range of internet connectivity for you. You won't have to face any speed or connectivity problems. Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh plan is a new offer which will be available for the user very soon. But for those mesh nodes, you will have to purchase the Rs 25,000 yearly plan from the telco.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh to Provide 500GB Monthly Data and Unlimited Calling

With the Airtel Xstream Fiber connection, the customers get the benefit of unlimited calling. There won't be any exception with the Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh plan. The plan will cost Rs 25,000 yearly and it will offer 500GB data monthly. That 500GB data will be availed at 300 Mbps speed. The customer will also have the option of purchasing the Rs 299 (exclusive of taxes) plan which will upgrade the monthly 500GB data of the plan to unlimited data (3.3TB). It is worth noting that the service isn’t out yet for every customer through the official website of Airtel. So for now, if the service is available, it is only available for select users. Apart from that, the mesh nodes will also be available for users going for 1 Gbps Airtel Xstream Fiber plan.

The nodes which are going to be available will be – Linksys Velp Triband devices. The Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh plan will provide the customers with a total of 3 nodes and they won't be sold separately but in a bundle. If you are thinking about how much area of your house will be covered with the help of Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh nodes, it is 3,500 square feet. But the distance and area are also affected and influenced by a large number of factors such as the design of the house/office, where the nodes are placed and how many walls are there.

Mesh devices are very expensive and thus all the nodes are under a warrant of two years from any software or hardware damage. But if the device has been tampered with or damaged because of the fault of the user/customer, then no warranty will be applicable. Along with that, you can't change your plan in between. If you have chosen this plan, then you will have to continue with it for a complete year.

The customer doesn't have to worry about installing the node devices. An engineer from the company will visit your home and will do it for you. All the existing Airtel Xstream Fiber customers can upgrade to this plan as well as customers who want a new connection can get this plan. In case you want extra nodes for a larger area of connectivity, then you can purchase them from the market and get them connected.

Original article: Airtel Xstream Fiber Mesh Plan Will Cost Rs 25,000 Yearly and Offer 500GB Data Monthly

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